Shoe-fastening means



Oct. 12 1 26.

s. D.- NICHOLS SHOE FASTENING MEANS F iled Jan 2a, 1926 Patented SAMUEL 'D. NICHOLS, F FOND DU LAG, WISCONSIhLt snon-rnsrnnmo riEANs.

=App1ication flled- January'28', 1926. Serial No. 84.453.

;The invention relates to new and useful i 'improvementsin fastening'meansfor boots and shoes of ordinary construction.in'which the'upper is provided along each edge of its opening, with-a row of lace-receiving eyelets. Theparticular fastening means which I employ, embodies two flexible strips having co-acting slide-controlledv fastening elements which may be quickly and easily interengaged or disengaged simply by movement of the slide in the necessary'direction, and it is one object of my invention to pro vide shoe fastening means of such nature that the flexible strips just referred to, may

'15 be secured to'theshoe upperby lacings pass-' ing through specially provided eyelets of said strips-and through the customary eye-. lets of the upper, thereby detachably and I adjustably securing the slide-controlled fastening means to. the shoe. Thus, whenever the flexible strips are so badly .worn as to cause the fastening means to be ineffective,

- the latter may be readily removed and new fastening means quickly and easily substituted and adjusted to obtain a snug fit.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a construction in which the c0. acting fastening elements on the two flexible strips, cannot chafe and wear the usual shoe tongue, whether the latter be ofthe bellows ty e or of the other well known form.

Vith the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter-described andclaimed, the description drawing. 7 V v Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary front' elevation of the fastening means, parts being broken away and others shown insection.

' Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the drawing above briefly described, a shoe is shown, whose upper 4 is provided with the customary rows of eyelets 5 along the edges of its openings, a bellows tongue 6 being shown for the latter.

Twoflexible strips 7 and 8, usually formed from fabric, are provided for disposition at the outer side of the shoe upper, in engagement with the eyelet-carrying portions of the latter, saidstrips havin rowsof eye- 'lets 9 and 10 respectively, which correspond,

in spacing and preferably also in number, to

being me b acwmpanyi'n-g the eyelets 5. These eyelets 9 and 10 pass also through leather reinforcing strips 11 and 12 which contact with the outer sides of the strips .7 and 8 and may well be integrally connected with each other at their lower ends, as'disclosed in Fig. '1. Stitching 13 is also preferably utilized to firmly secure the strips 7 and 8 to the strips 11 and 12 and if desired, the outer edges 01' these strips may also carry lines. of stitching 14 both for strengthening purposes and to give a good appearance.

A relatively wide and comparatively stiff strip 15, preferably formed of leather, is secured to the strip 7 by passing the eyelets 9 through said strip 15, and this strip is of a width-to underlie both of said strips 7 and 8, and preferably extends partway across the eyelets 10, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, As will hereinafter be more apparent, the strip 15 will protect the tongue 6 against injury from the co-acting fastening'elements 16 which are provided to fasten the inner edges of the strips 7 and 8 together, said fastening elements being of conventional form and being controlled by a well known slide 17 having an operating tab 18 or some equivalent operating means.

The eyelet-carrying portions of the strips *7 and 8 lie against the corresponding portions of the shoe upper 4, and laces 19 are engaged with the two sets of eyelets to both adjustably and detachably secure the strips to the shoe. When the final lacing is done, incident to connecting the fastening means with the shoe, the elements 16 are in engagement with each other and hence by means of the laces, the desired fit of the upper around the leg, may be obtained. Then,

when the laces are tied, they need not be further touched until it is necessary for one cause or another, to remove the fastening means. Each time the shoe is to be taken off, it is released by moving the slide 17 downwardly, thus disengaging the fastening elements 16. Similarly, an upward pull on the slide will rapidly lace the shoe. Thus, it may be put on and taken off with speed and with ease. The strip 15, being interposed between the fastening elements 16 and the tongue 6, prevents the former from chafing and wearing through the latter, and by having this strip permanently attached to the strip 7, it remains in proper position upon the shoe, when the latter is opened, so that the other strip 8 will fall readily into place as the slide ispulled upwardly. Experience has taught that fabric strips such as those indicated at 7 and 8, will in time give way so that the entire fastening means is then inefficient. lVhen such a condition arises, the fasteningmeans may be quickly and easily detached from the shoe and equivalent parts substituted with equal facility.

As excellent results have been obtained from the details disclosed, they are preferably followed. However, within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made and it will of course be understood that the invention is applicable to numerous styles of shoes, regardless of the height of the shoe upper. Moreover, it may be used on shoes in which the upper is divided down one side, instead of at the front, as herein disclosed.

1. In combination with an ordinary shoe whose upper is provided with the usual row of eyelets along each edge of its opening; a pair of detachable flexible strips arranged in lapping relation to the eyeletcarrying portions of the upper, said strips having eyelets corresponding in spacing to the shoe upper eyelets to register therewith, two rows of lacin passing through said eyelets and securing both of said strips detachably and adjustablyi to the shoe upper, and slide-controlled means for connecting said strips with each other.

2. A quick-acting fastening attachment for an ordinary shoe whose upper is provided with the usual rows of eyelets along the edges of its opening; said attachment comprising two detachable flexible strips to lap the eyelet-carrying portions of the shoe upper and themselves having eyelets corthe edges of its opening; said attarhment comprising two flexible strips to lie against the outer side of the eyelet-carrying portions of the shoe upper and themselves having eyelets corresponding in spacing to the shoe upper eyelets to receive securinglaces, slide-controlled fastening means for connecting said strips with each other, and a third \relatively wide strip underlying both of the aforesaid strips and said fastening means, said third strip being permanently attached to one of\the first named strips.

4. A quick-acting fastening attachment for an ordinary shoe-whose upper is provided with the usual rows of eyelets along the edges of its opening; said attachment comprising two flexible strips to lie against the outer side of the eyelet-carrying por tions of the shoe upper andthemselves having eyelets corresponding in spacing to the shoe upper eyelets to receive securing laces,

slide-controlled fastening means for con- 1 necting said strips with each other, and a third relatively wide strip underlying both of the aforesaid strips and said fastening means, said third strip being permanently attached to one of the first named strips,

by means of the eyelets of'the latter.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

SAMUEL D. NICHOLSQ- 

